Backtrack in US as cases surge

Spain’s Queen Letizia and King Felipe meet officials in Seville yesterday

THOUSANDS of dreams of summer breaks in Spain and Greece were thrown into chaos yesterday.

Spanish health chiefs said they would block foreign holidaymakers if there was a surge in Covid-19 cases.

And Athens made a shock announcement extending a ban on Brits, which had been due to end tomorrow, until July 15.

The warning by Spain, where temperatures hit

40C yesterday, came after a series of new outbreaks just a week after it opened its borders.

Malaga has seen more than 90 people test positive and five of the eight provinces of Andalucia, whose coastline includes the Costa del Sol

Temperature in some of Spain’s hotspots as they face closure after spike

CORONAVIRUS infection rates have soared in America, with several states reporting record highs, forcing bars and restaurants to be closed.

At least 12 states have now suspended or rolled back plans to reopen, hoping the move will slow the further spread of the virus.

On Sunday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar warned the “window is closing” to get the pandemic under control.

There are at least 2,549,069 cases in America and at least 125,803 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Last Friday, the US recorded its biggest single-day increase at 40,173.

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom was forced to order seven and Costa de la Luz, have reported new cases. More Brits are expected to start booking trips to Spain – where King Felipe and Queen Letizia met officials on a visit to Seville – after Boris Johnson confirms an “air bridge” doing away with quarantine. But regional health minister Patricia Gomez said holiday hotspots could be closed. The blow from Greece fell after the weekend saw a 216% increase in searches for getaways there. It leaves Brits facing another round of misery as airlines and tour operators rip up bookings yet again. Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the procedure for reopening his country was “dynamic”.

CLOSED AGAIN Bar in Los Angeles

counties in and around LA, to close bars. He also recommended nine other California counties, including Sacramento, do the same.

The surges come as a huge blow to Donald Trump, who has pushed for states to reopen amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic.